Karnataka caste census extended, school timings altered
Bengaluru: The ongoing Social and Educational Survey, widely referred to as the caste census, that was scheduled to end on Tuesday has been extended, as per the memo issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy.
The department has altered the school timings, when it reopens on October 8 after the Dasara holidays, to allow teachers to complete the survey work.
The government and aided schools in the Greater Bengaluru area will have classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from October 8 to 24. The teachers who are appointed as enumerators will take part and complete the survey work after school hours during this period.
In the rest of the state, all government and aided schools will have classes from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. from October 8 to 12.
The memo dated October 6 refers to a letter from the Backward Classes Welfare Department stating that more time was needed to complete the survey.
It said the decision altering the school timing has been taken in the academic interest of the students and to ensure that classes do not suffer due to the survey after the mid-year vacations.
The survey, being conducted by the Karnataka State Commission for Backward Classes, began on September 22 and was scheduled to conclude on October 7.
The survey was delayed in the Greater Bengaluru area at the request of the authorities for training and necessary preparations. The survey is currently underway.
A formal announcement by the Commission regarding the extension of the survey has been made. Conducted at an estimated cost of ₹420 crore, the exercise uses a 60-question questionnaire and is being carried out scientifically, officials said.
The government had spent ₹165.51 crore on an earlier Social and Educational Survey in 2015, which was later discarded.
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Bengaluru jail introduces biometric tracking system for prisoners
Bengaluru: In a bid to curb misconduct and illegal activities inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, prison authorities have introduced a new ‘Prisoners Tracking Movement System’ under which inmates will have to undergo biometric verification while entering every barrack.
According to jail officials, biometric systems have been installed across all major sections of the prison, including barracks, visitor rooms, hospital, canteen, kitchen, library, playground, handicraft units and bakery sections. Staff members have also been deployed at these locations.
Officials said inmates visiting the visitors’ room must now obtain a digital token after biometric verification. Details such as the prisoner’s name, identification number and entry time will be updated in the prison software system. This will help authorities maintain a complete digital record of inmates visiting and returning from meeting rooms.
Similar systems have also been introduced at entry points of the hospital, library and other barracks accessed for work-related purposes. Officials said the system will help identify prisoners involved in suspicious or illegal activities with other inmates and enable authorities to track how much time a prisoner spends at different locations inside the prison.
Authorities stated that AI-powered cameras were already being used inside the prison to monitor inmates as well as prison staff. Along with this, digital tracking of prisoner phone calls and a digital token system for visitor meetings have now been added to strengthen surveillance over inmate movement. Officials said the project has been implemented at a cost of around Rs 2.25 crore.
The prison department has also introduced a canteen usage tracking system to monitor prisoners’ spending patterns. Instead of direct cash payments, inmates can purchase bakery items and snacks using wallets or coupons issued within the prison system.
Officials said the digital system will record details including the buyer’s name, items purchased, quantity, date, time and remaining wallet balance. This will allow prison authorities to maintain complete expenditure records of inmates.
